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Seamus O’Regan touted as Bob Rae’s replacement

And a former co-host could run against him if unconfirmed reports turn true

CTV personality and Newfoundland and Labrador native Seamus O'Regan speaks to the media during a press conference for the 2010 Juno Awards at the Fairmont Royal York hotel in Toronto on Wednesday, March 3, 2010.Photo: Aaron Lynett/National Post

While two former CTV fixtures, Mike Duffy and Pamela Wallin, have gained recent infamy for their role in the Senate spending scandal, another prominent face of the network is rumoured to be making a run for Parliament Hill.

Seamus O’Regan, the co-host of Canada AM from 2001 through 2011, had his name prominently mentioned in a Globe and Mail report about possible successors to MP Bob Rae — who announced he was leaving federal politics on Wednesday.

A native of St. John’s who worked for Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Brian Tobin prior to moving to Toronto to pursue a broadcasting career, O’Regan offered no comment about a possible Liberal nomination candidacy, which makes it safer to assume he didn’t want to deny it.

O’Regan had a brief stint on CTV National News following the Canada AM departure. But he has recently been filling in at Astral Media radio station Newstalk 1010, presumably while continuing to draw a salary from CTV owner Bell Media.

While the $3.38-billion purchase of Astral by Bell was blocked by the federal regulator last year, the companies are now waiting to hear the verdict on a revised application, which is expected next week.

Presuming the fill-ins were a prelude to a full-time job, a run to represent the Toronto Centre riding might put those plans on hold, especially if O’Regan ends up winning the seat that Rae essentially inherited after the retirement of Liberal MP Bill Graham.

Hollett and O’Regan worked together in the early 2000s as co-hosts of The Chatroom, a show that ran on the CTV spin-off network TalkTV — which was also responsible for launching the media career of Ben Mulroney.

UPDATE: Todd Ross became the first person to announce that he’d be seeking the Liberal nomination in Toronto Centre on Thursday afternoon. Ross previously worked with Ontario MPP and 2010 Toronto mayoral candidate George Smitherman — who has also said he is considering taking a run at Rae’s job.